Bhagavad Gita BG 11.28
Chapter 11, Verse 28 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
यथा नदीनां बहवोऽम्बुवेगाः समुद्रमेवाभिमुखा द्रवन्ति । तथा तवामी नरलोकवीराः विशन्ति वक्त्राण्यभिविज्वलन्ति ॥
yatha nadinam bahavo 'mbu-vegah samudram evabhimukha dravanti tatha tavami nara-loka-virah vishanti vaktrany abhivijvalanti
Meaning
As the many swift currents of rivers flow toward the ocean alone, so these heroes of the world enter Your blazing mouths.
Understanding
Arjuna describes the inexorable cosmic movement he is witnessing. Yatha nadinam bahavah ambu-vegah (as the many swift water-currents of rivers) — samudram evabhimukha dravanti (flow toward the ocean alone, facing only toward it). The river simile: rivers do not choose to enter the ocean; their very nature carries them there. Tatha tavami nara-loka-virah (so these heroes of the world of men) — vishanti vaktrany abhivijvalanti (enter your mouths that are blazing, flaming). Abhivijvalanti — blazing intensely. The great warriors of Kurukshetra are like rivers: they flow toward the cosmic mouth by the very force of their nature and karma. The ocean does not compel them; they go of themselves.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अम्बुवेगाः | ambu-vegah | swift water-currents, water-flows |
| अभिमुखाः | abhimukhah | facing toward, directed toward |
| नरलोकवीराः | nara-loka-virah | heroes of the world of men |
| अभिविज्वलन्ति | abhivijvalanti | blazing intensely, flaming brightly |
| यथा | yathā | just as |
| नदीनाम् | nadīnām | of rivers |
| बहवः | bahavaḥ | many |
| अम्बु-वेगाः | ambu-vegāḥ | torrents of water |
| समुद्रम् | samudram | the ocean |
| एव | eva | indeed |
| अभिमुखाः | abhimukhāḥ | toward, facing |
| द्रवन्ति | dravanti | rush, flow |
| तथा | tathā | so also |
| तव | tava | Your |
| अमी | amī | these |
| नर-लोक-वीराः | nara-loka-vīrāḥ | heroes of the human world |
| विशन्ति | viśanti | enter |
| वक्त्राणि | vaktrāṇi | the mouths |